Multi-contrast weighted MRI identified plaque features
in carotid artery, such as intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) and thin or ruptured
fibrous cap, have been reported to be predictors of subsequent stroke. On the
other hand, plaque eccentricity of carotid artery has been found to be
associated with ipsilateral cerebrovascular events in an ultrasonography study.
In this study, we sought to assess the association between plaque shape and
high risk plaque features in carotid artery, and a novel eccentricity index
(EI) of plaque using MR imaging was established. The result shows that the
plaques with high risk features (presence of IPH and thin or ruptured fibrous
cap) have relatively high EI, which suggests the proposed EI from carotid MRI
could be a potential predictor of high risk plaque.